A comparison

A Comparison between Waldorf and conventional schools There must be a way to educate young children so that the great human qualities that we know are in them may be developed … How can we foster a joyous, alert, wholehearted participation in life if we build all our schooling around the holiness of getting 'right Read more

A Comparison between Waldorf and conventional schools

There must be a way to educate young children so that the great human qualities that we know are in them may be developed … How can we foster a joyous, alert, wholehearted participation in life if we build all our schooling around the holiness of getting ‘right answers’? – John Holt

On the surface, Waldorf classrooms seem similar to other classrooms. Yet, there are profound differences with far-reaching ramifications for young people.

There is no formal teaching in Waldorf early childhood development programmes. Childhood is honoured and protected.

CONVENTIONAL EDUCATION

Children are taught and assessed at ever-younger ages.

We have a cultural notion that if children were not engineered, if we did not manipulate them, they would grow up as beasts in the field. This is the wildest fallacy in the world. – Joseph Chilton Pearce

The first two hours of each day form a Main Lesson period in which one subject is taught for 3 to 5 weeks at a time. This allows for an in-depth exploration of the subject – usually from multiple perspectives. This holistic approach grants a wider and deeper appreciation of the subject matter (particularly in the high school) than is catered for by syllabi geared only to examinations.

CONVENTIONAL EDUCATION

Most lessons are of the same length (35 or 40 minutes) to fit the timetable. Subjects are taught in rapid succession throughout the day.

Work that is intellectually demanding is performed early in the morning when students are fresh. Art, music, language and craft lessons follow in late morning and early afternoon. Using art, movement, music and more, each Main Lesson is carefully and rhythmically structured so that students have to listen, work independently, participate and think at different times.

CONVENTIONAL EDUCATION

Timetables are planned to suit the school system and teacher availability. Students’ needs may or may not be considered. Frequently, lessons are experienced in random order with little awareness of the child’s changing receptivity during the day. The focus is mostly on learning through cognitive processes. There is limited relief from the pressure for intellectual performance. ‘Arts’ lessons are separated from conceptual learning.

Waldorf teachers endeavour to stay with one class from Class 1 to 8. School becomes like a second family, with deep bonds forged between students and teacher, as well as students and students. In High School a class guardian takes over from the class teacher and stays with the same class through to matric.

Because learning involves much more than the mere conveyance of information, young children don’t use computers at Waldorf schools. Children are required to master basic skills before they are exposed to computers from Class 7 onwards. Waldorf educators also discourage the use of any electronic media until after Primary School.

CONVENTIONAL EDUCATION

Electronic media is regarded as a fundamental means of instruction, despite growing evidence that early exposure to electronic content, even when designed with education in mind, has long lasting and most often undesirable effects.

Researchers found that for every hour per day spent watching specially developed baby DVDs and videos such as ‘Baby Einstein’ and ‘Brainy Baby’, children under 16 months understood an average of six to eight fewer words compared to children who did not watch them. – Aric Sigman

There are no textbooks in the first five years. Waldorf children create their own “text” books by recording what they learn during the year. Printed textbooks that cover all mandated subject material are introduced in the higher classes, though students continue to create books that reflect their understanding of each subject under consideration.

CONVENTIONAL EDUCATION

A lack of textbooks is often blamed for the poor performance of students, yet, even with textbooks, many South African students perform poorly.

Waldorf educators hesitate to categorize children and don’t applaud only those who achieve academically. Children do not write exams in Primary School. Because the unique qualities of each child can be observed and described, but not always measured, the development of young students is closely monitored and assessed by the class teacher and in-depth, individual observational reports are issued at the end of each year. In the Middle and High Schools, students complete tests to assess their comprehension and progress. Detailed academic reports are issued twice annually from Class 8 onwards. Matric students write the exams set by the Independent Examinations Board (IEB).

CONVENTIONAL EDUCATION

Students are tested and graded from the first to the last year of school.

No child ‘fails’ during Primary School. Holding back a child for a year – a truly rare occasion at Waldorf schools – is not considered a failure. Waldorf teachers are trained to try bring the child’s whole being into balance and to make sure that the curriculum is appropriate for the psychological, physical, artistic, social, practical and academic readiness of the particular child. A weakness in one area will usually be balanced by strengths in another area. Children who struggle to keep up with their class are given additional support on the recommendation of the class teacher.

CONVENTIONAL EDUCATION

Children who fail examinations are invariably required to repeat the year.

Scientific schooling uses precisely the same techniques as scientific management. Measure (test) everyone. Often. Figure out which inputs are likely to create testable outputs. If an output isn’t easily testable, ignore it. It would be a mistake to say that scientific education doesn’t work. It does work. It creates what we test. Unfortunately, the things we desperately need (and the things that make us happy) aren’t the same things that are easy to test. – Seth Godin

For more information on what makes a Waldorf education unique, watch our video: What is School?

Footnote. Many of the core tenets of Waldorf education are becoming common in mainstream thinking. Many public schools – especially in the US – have adopted a Waldorf model of education. The importance of free, creative play in the early years is increasingly seen as a necessity for later academic excellence. The negative impact of media on young children is now undisputed. The correlation between sleep and learning … the importance of music and physical movement in integrating the left and right sides of the brain … the risks associated with stressful testing … these are all Waldorf principles that are increasingly being embraced by mainstream educators across the globe.

Michael Mount Waldorf School is registered as a Non-Profit Organisation (NPO no: 001/314) as well as a
Public Benefit Organisation (PBO no: 930003714)